NB: as of 23 September 2008, all new artSMart articles are being published on the site news.artsmart.co.za.

ELANA WINS AWARD
(article first published : 2001-03-15)

Durban author Elana Bregin has won the prestigious 2000 Percy Fitzpatrick Award for Youth Literature, for her novel The Slaver of Shadows published by Gecko Books. The award is made every second year by the English Academy of Southern Africa for books in the English category and has been sponsored by FNB Vita.

Elana Bregin , who has an MA in English (cum laude) from the University of Natal, works as a freelance writer, editor and lecturer. She is best known for her Young Adult novels and her many publications include award-winning titles such as The Kayaboeties, The Boy from the Other Side and The Red-haired Khumalo She also has several children’s stories published in the United Kingdom.

The judges’ comment on The Slayer of Shadows was: “This is a darkly disturbing book which is at the same time also an imaginatively transformative text. Bregin portrays a wasteland that appears at times both disturbingly futuristic and medievally superstitious but also recognisably located in the South African present in those forgotten places where change has not reached and life has become a battle for survival. Her richly lyrical text skilfully combines elements of autobiography, fantasy, fable and magic realism to present a powerful story which traces the coming of age of a young girl in a lawless jungle.”

Elana will receive The Percy Fitzpatrick Award 2000 at a presentation function to be held at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on March 29 at 17h45 for 18h00. Members of the general public, including any young published authors, are welcome to attend. Kindly confirm attendance by phoning (031) 260-4582.

The function will coincide with The Time of the Writer festival which runs at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre from March 26 to 31.